Metering and aligning machine



March 23, 1943. E. P. DRAKE ETAL 2,314,484

I METERING AND ALIGNING MACHINE Filed March 6, 1940 v s Sheets-Sheet 1 grwawfm Eb WAQD B DRAKE, Fee-0 CZ-AL8ER7'Y,

m4L/AM E KAGLEY,

March 23, 1943. E. P. DRAKE .EI'AL METERING AND ALI GNING MACHINE 2 M E t V) M m H A p K M m 8 J M L Eon/A120 sin m a l Q M Q m d March 23,1943. E. P. DRAKE Em 2,314 484 METERING AND ALIGNING- MACHINE Filed March 6, 1940 8 Sheets-Sheet 3 ibwqeo 2 024/(5, .Fk'so zZ ALBERT);

"W744 [AM If. 164645); INVENTORS ATTORNEYS March 23, 1943 E. P. DRAKE ETIVXL 14,

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'IIIIIIIIIII March 23, 1943. b K ETAL 2,314,484

METERING AND ALIGNING MACHINE Filed March 6, 1940 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 gin/001140115 EDWARD J? DEA KE, FEED r/TALBERTY, mLL/AM HKAGLEV,

am mu March 23, 1943. I E. P. DRAKE EI'AL 2,314,434

METERING AND ALIGNING MACHINE Filed March 6, 1940 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 Alma/4m F/nger Cam 3 Wye/Mm:

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March 23, 1943. p DRAKE ETAL 2,314,484

METERING AND ALIGNING MACHINE Filed March 6, 1940 8 Sheets-Sheet '7 will:

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March 2 3, 1943. DRAKE ETAL METERING AND ALIGNING MACHINE Filed March 6, 1940 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 gpvucwvto'cs low/1 902 DQAKE, RED JALEEQT); WILL/AM E K4645);

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ado swan Patented Mar. 23, 1943 Edward P. Drake and Fred J. Albert-y,

geles,and William Herbert Kagley,

to Lindsay Ripe Olive Com- Oalif., assignors Los An- Lindsay,

pany, Lindsay, Calif., a corporation Application'March'ii, 1940, Serial 322,540

18 Claims.

"This application'is for improvements over the invention of the U. Si'Patent 'No'. 2,205,397 filed by Edward P.'Drake, foriAutomatic pitting machine, andal'so'of the'U. S; Patent No. 2,246,843 filed by EdwardP'. Drake, for'Automatic olive pitting machine.

This'inventionrelates primarily to the fruit packing industry and to a metering andaligning device for use in connection with a mechanism toperform operations on articles of oblong shape','su'ch for example as olives, in preparation for. packing them in jars or cans. Our machine is adaptable for pitting various kinds of fruit and by our reference to olives as an illustration ofits usev we do not any way. It'will be obviousas the description progresses that certain features of our machine have their greatest utility in the handling of olives because -of the oblong character of that fruit, but it will also be observed that the same machine or .parts thereof. may be employed for pitting cherries, plunis, apricots, and various other fruits and for metering and aligning other articles. For convenience, however, in description and to bring out all the features of novelty and utility we will describe the machine in connection'with'the pitting of olives.

The machine is adapted to handling olives of different sizes-but is designed to conveniently handle only one size olives at a particular setting of "the machine Inasmuch as olives are commonly graded as to size before curing, there is no practical difii'c'ulty in this feature of operation. The machine may be reset with very little trouble to handle olives of Whatever grade size it is'desire'd to put through. I

In removing pits from olives it is necessary that each olive be firmly grasped ina predetermined aligned position whilea punch enters from one end of the olive and is forced longitudinally therethrough, or the olive is forced against the punch by means of a die, to push the pit out through the end of the olive. Inthe caseof olives the pit may notv be struck out through the sides as todo so destroys them for the commercial purposes intended. This is becausebcth-olives and pits are oblong.

Previous machines for pitting olives have been introduced. In one of these olives are individually placed by hand in dies which hold the olives duringthe punching operation. The slowness, expense,-and danger-to the attendants of such hand. fed machines make their use impractical forlarge scale commercial production. In the U. S. Patent No. 2,205,397, a form of automatic 'iritend'to limit the invention in' chine in which bulk olives are p directly to the pit ejecting mechanism. In-the pitting machine to a hopper and are fed, aligned and positioned by the machine for the punching operation. It is believed that thatis the first olive pitting maother U. S. Patent noted, No. 2,246,843, certain improvements are disclosed over the earlier: machine. The present application utilizes the same basis of design andoperation as in the previous applications but contains a number of improve-- ments and refinements, as Well as certain addi: tional parts which'have increase the speed and the hopper a continuous flow of olives to ing device which spaces and to position the olives in and punch mechanism.

Another object is to provide in connection with the metering device a novel tapping mechanism the region of a die to retain olives in a single layer in the passages machine for adjusting the parts to the accommodation of olives of different size.

Other objects and advantages will appear from the further description the specification.

In the drawings: 1

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the machine.

Figure 2 is a considerably enlarged side elevation .ofthe hopper, feed, and metering mechanism seen irom the side opposite that of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary section taken on line 3-3 of Figure 2 showing parts of the inclined feeding and positioning mechanism.

Figure 4 is a diagrammatic fragmentary view showing the lines of force which occur in the inclined feeding and positioning mechanism.

Figure 5 is an enlarged section taken on the trating particularly certain water supply means later described.

v is disclosed in which the olives need not be hand fed but are supplied 'in-bulk automatically f ed been found to materially efiiciency of the machine.

Objects of the invention are to provide a maa; chine adapted to handle a continuous supply of olives which may be fromboXes'or any other bulk delivered into a hopper, to transfer from a metertheir subsequent travel,

fragmentary vertical line 5-5 of Figure 2 illus-' Figure 6 is a section of the metering device taken on the line 66 of Figure 2.

Figure 7 is an enlarged side View partly in section taken on the line of Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of Figure 7.

Figure 9 is a view generally similar to Figure 7, but taken on line 9-9 of Figure 6, and showing some of the parts in different position.

Figure 10 is a chart of the cam action of the cams in the metering device.

Figure 11 is a section looking in the direction opposite that of Figure 1, showing the central and lower portion of the machine.

Figure 12 is a fragmentary section illustrating a part of the gripper cam.

Figure 13 is a fragmentary enlarged detail of parts shown in Figure 11, particularly illustrating the adjustment of the olive chute for different size olives.

Figure 14 is a fragmentary section taken on the line |4--|4 of Figure 13.

Figure 15 is a side view of an adjusting tool.

. Figure 16 is a fragmentary view taken in the direction of the arrow IS in Figure 13, showing especially the use of the adjusting tool for centering the olive between the die and punch by adjusting the chain.

Figure 17 is a fragmentary section of the chain driving gear showing its adaptability to adjustment.

, Figure 18 is a fragmentary view in plan of the upper end of an inclined olive. chute illustrating an optional provision of inclined water jets which are employed primarily for the purpose of speeding up movement of the olives.

Our metering and aligning machine comprises what we have for convenience designated a metering device 3|, and a spacing and positioning mechanism 32. It is shown in an environment including a feeding device 30, which is being made the subject of a divisional application, and a pitting mechanism 33, which is also being made the subject of a divisional application.

The feeding device comprises a hopper 40, the lower constricted end of which communicates with a vibrating tray 4| having a plurality of delivery passages 42.

Referring to Figure 2, the hopper is formed with a distributing partition 43 comprising a ridge 44 with sloping sides 45 and a similar sloping end 46. The sides 45 merge into the wall of the hopper following the circular contour thereof, and the end 46 extends to opposite sides of the hopper wall and terminates at its lower end in a straight edge 41, below which is thus formed a constricted passage 48 bounded above by the edge 41 and below by an inclined fiat shelf member 49 which slopes downwardly and forwardly in the direction of general movement of olives through the feeding device.

' The vibrating tray is formed with relatively high side walls 60, and intermediate low walls 6| defining the olive delivery passages 42. Preferably the walls 60 and BI are parallel, and the passages or channels 42 are wide enough and deep enough to accommodate a single line of the largest olives which the machine is designed to handle. In the drawings the olives are designated 0. The present machine is designed with four such delivery passages formed in the tray 4|. Generally speaking, olives poured into the hopper 4B converge toward the passage 48, descending by gravity therethrough and are distributed into the four delivery passages 42.

The tray 4| is mounted upon a plurality of webs 5| slightly inclined from the vertical, which are in turn carried upon a base plate 52. The webs 5| have suflicient rigidity to support the tray in its normal elevated position, which is a generally slight downward incline toward a metering mechanism later described, but are flexible enough to permit vibration of the tray by a magnetic vibrator 53 of conventional design, the

armature 54 of which is connected at 55 to one end of the tray. The base plate 52 is mounted upon coil springs 56 to isolate the vibration of the tray from main frame F. Conveniently, these springs 56 may be mounted in sockets 56' formed in cross bars 51 which are secured to the frame, the cross bar at the rear being adjustable in height above the frame by means of adjusting screws 58.

The lower end of the hopper 40, which has a rectangular configuration indicated at 10, is mounted upon the rearward end of the tray 4| by means of screws 1|. This effects a unitary construction between the vibrating tray 4| and the hopper 40 which results in the hopper as well as the tray being vibrated when the device is in operation. It has been found especially advantageous to mount the hopper firmly on the vibrating tray so that the hopper derives the benefit of the vibratory action.

,Mounted upon the forward portion of the rectangular section 10 of the hopper is a pair of oppositely disposed bracket members I5. These brackets are generally L-shaped in configuration, having lower longitudinal extensions I6 which are slidably positioned along the outer walls 60 of the vibrating tray. The brackets 15 are formed with slots and 8| through which bolts 11 and 18 pass, the slots permitting longitudinal adjustment of the bracket member 15 on the hopper and the vibrating tray.

Mounted on the brackets 15 and extending across the vibrating tray 4| is a shear plate which substantially closes the passage 48 above a roller 86 which will be described. I

It is important to note that this roller is driven in the direction of the arrow in F gure 2 which is opposite the direction of the passage of the olives through the feeding mechanism. The roller is positioned and adjusted according to the size of olives so that there is room for only one layer of olives to pass between the roller and the outer end of the shelf member 49, the latter being formed with a steep decline 91 adjacent the roller 86. The purpose of the rotating roller is to back up the olives which are descending by gravity aided by vibration, and keep them in a state of movement so they will not pile up and jam in the passage 48 nor overtax the capacity of the passages 42. The combined action of the vibrating hopper, tray, and the reverse rotation of the roller 86 serve to effectively and continuously feed the olives from the hopper into the parallel individual olive passages 42.

Vibration of the tray causes the olives to travel along the delivery passages 42 toward the metering device 3| which will be next described.

The purpose of this metering device is to receive the olives from the four delivery passages, space their subsequent travel and divert them into two inclined positioning chutes or troughs I00 which are part of the spacing and positioning mechanism 32. It has been found that four of the delivery passages are advisable to assure ahccntinuous supply of olives to two positioning 0 u es.

forward: end thereof and forms wardly steeply inclined etxension Ma of the there are walls I04 42c (see Figures 6,

vibrating tray :4 I in which forming ,four olive passages 7 and 9) which are extensions of the-passages 42" in; the. vibrating. tray 4|.

The extension 41a is preferably welded-at to "the" lower face of the. vibratingtray' atthe. the lower partofthe magazine I:I;w Its walls I04 lessz'th'anhalf;:of the'total height of the olive rise slightly passages in' themagazihe IIJI." The upper wall F boundaries of the-olive passages in the magazine arerprovided by extensioning walls' I06 of the olive chutes I00. These extensions I06-are rigid- 1yv fixed to a cover piece longitudinally lateral adjustment p p ofre ula ing the width of-the magazine passages: This adjustmentwilldescribed; The: material-of 1 the cover is suf- I0'I, which is formed of' one slotted as at I08 to afford at the upper end forthe I be subsequently ficiently'resilient to be sprung :un'der' action-of a screw III which is subsequently described Each adjacent pair of the olive passages flw in. the magazine merges into a: single open pas sage in the olive chutes, the latterzbeing subsequently described in more: detail.

There is no physical connection between: the lower extension 4Ia of the vibrating trayv which make up the lower part otthe magazine, the overlying extensions I06 of the olive chutes and-the cover I0.'l.- which comprise the upper part ofthe magazine. there being a continuous.

vibration of the extension Mw When-{the ma-- chine is in operation while theupper-partpf the-.magazin'e remains stationary. The latter-is supported on an extension. Fl of the main frame- F. The bottomof the passages 4211 are. in alignment with the troughs or channelsof the olive chutes I00but as is evidentareslightly :sepa-- rated therefrom. Diversion ofthe-olives from thefour passages of the vibrating tray exten-y sion Ma :to the two passages -in the olivechutes occurs in the" region of the junction between the vibrating extension Ma and theupper: end orv terminus of the troughs orchannels of the: olive" chutes I 00.

Referring-now to theadjustme'nt of the width of the magazine passages; called is for the purpose of" accommodating "the machine to olives of different sizes, the adjust-- ment-is obtained by'the following mechanism: A lug I09 projecting. upwardlyfrom the central-- portion of thecover II1'|,-it.-being noted that each "cover I01 isdivided into three sections; a central section and two outlying sections: isa separate'cover I01 foreach unit magazine consisting of a pair: of olive passages; Threaded brackets H0 are mounted with a swivel upon the outer sections of the cover I01 and an adjusting screw H'l which has its contral. part rotatably anchored in. the lug I0!) is" threaded'through the brackets H0 with a right hand thread on one half and a left hand thread on the other half. By means of a screwdriver applied to one-:end of thescrew IH a turn-' which it will be re There" of the:

and

buckle action" is thus obtained which serves-to reduce or to: open: the slets I 08as des red,-..to decrease or increase the width'of the" olive passages; To clarify Ithe"foregoing:description, it should be'noted' that the extending walls I00 to whichtne central part of the cover I0l is attached thus remain fixed while the walls I06 attached to the outer sections of the cover 101 are sprung in or out to accomplish the purposes previously described.

The metering: device has four similar units, one to serve eachdelivery passage "42d, acomplete description of one of which units will suffice.

Mounted on the extension FI of the frame is a stationary shaft H5. Journaled to rock on this shaft is'a retaining finger H6 and .a coop-. crating holding finger. H1. The finger I I6 is' in theform of a crank havingarms I I611 and H61); On 'thearm H6b is a tip H60. {The tip HGc is inthe vform of a Z which i's'moun'ted at the end of-the arm H611 by means of a bolt H8. The tip I I Go may be adjustably' positioned for olives" of'diiier'ent sizes andfor different working condit-ions by loosening the bolt I I8,"rotating the tip I Ilia-to the desired position and retightening the bolt. The arm'HGa' is provided with a roller H9 which makes contact with a cam I hereinafter described. The tip Hficen'gages' the olives in turn as they enter the passage 42a of the magazine IOI, permitting them to enter one" at a time into the space between the tip H60 and the holding fingerHl. The rise and fall of the tip -H6c, afiected by action of the cam I20,-secures this-function. The tip H60 should I be so adjusted that there is room for only one olive between the tip H60 and the finger'l I1. After an olive has been allowed to pass tip H60 it lodges momentarily against'the finger I I1.

This finger II 1 is also in the form of a crank provided with an arm I=which has a roller I2Ei' bearing =on'*a cam I21, later "described, which causesa riseand fall of the finger H'I alternat ing with the" rise and fall 'of the tip H60."

1 The action of the tip HG'c'and the finger I I'I' occurs through an enlarged extension I20 of the sl0t-l08-in the cover'l0l.

There being an olive lodged against-finger II'I', the timing of the cams is such that whentip' Hfic falls into-th'eposition shown in full" lines in Figure: 7, finger' I'I I rises into the position also shown in Figure 7. An olive moving into" the passage 42a, is thus retained there while the olive*momentaril'ylodged against fingerl I'I'is released and. rolls downwardly bygravity' and isi-simultaneously divert'ed'" into the chute I00 where it is caught by a' spacer" I30,' the details" of which are later described.

.This' action ofv the"*retainingfinger" H6 and the'holding'finger 1 IT prevents jmore'th'a'n one olive at a time passing the-finger "H1, which is irlnportant tothe subsequenthandling of the 0 we; 1

Springs I3I yieldably urge the retaining finger? I-lfi'and the holding finger H-l against the respectivecams H9 and I20. .The springs are anchored at one end-to a rod F32 which is mounted on the frame extension Fl.

The cams are keyed .to a shaft I35 which is iourn-aled in the'franre extension Fl. Each cam is designed with two raised portions thus caus inethe'finger it actuates to rise and fall twice with each revolution. The raised portions of the cams I20 are offset from those of the cams I21, the camsnbeing secured to the shaft. I35 in pairsfor thecooperative actionof a unit of olives at a time.

' with a large gear I54.

consisting of a retaining finger I I6 and a holding finger H1. The shaft I35 is driven by means to be subsequently described.

Retaining finger H6 and holding finger II 1 are both formed with relatively short rearwardly extending bosses Ed and II 1d respectively. In the bosses are secured tapping members I31, each of which comprises a stem I38 and a horizontal extension I39, the latter being curved upwardly toward the rear. Rocking of the fingers H6 and I I 1 simultaneously results in the tapping members I31 being vertically reciprocated. They are so spaced as to operate up and down in the passages 42 to prevent the piling up of olives at the junction between the passages 42 and42a. When the tapping members are in the lowermost position there must be adequate room for a single row of olives to freely pass underneath but not room enough for any congestion of olives toroccur. A rocker action is obtained which tends to push back any olives which have piled up. The taping members I 31 have forward extensions I40 which keep the passages at that pointcontinuously closed against travel of more than one row The action of the tapping members is such that as they lower each time they have a slight forward movement, which teridsto advance the olives.

A By reference to the chart of Figure 14 the complete cam action will be clear. The timing provides alternate releasing of olives from adjacent passages 42a into the chutes I at a rate to deposit one olive upon each spacer I30 as the spacer passes, in a manner to be later described.

Shaft I35 and consequently cams I20 and I21 are driven by the following means: Referring to Figure 1, an electric motor M is mounted on the frame F. On the shaft of the motor is a pinion I50 meshing with a gear II keyed to a shaft I52. On the shaft I52 is a small gear I 53 which meshes This gear meshes with a smaller gear I55, which is adjustably' locked on the shaft I55a bv' any suitable means, such as a set screw I557). There are two similar sprockets I56 fixed to the shaft I55a, one sprocket to accommodate each of the endless chains I60.

As has been made apparent, there are twin units of olive spacing and positioning mechanisms, each of which includes one of the chains just referred to.

Describing only one of these elements, it will be observed that driven by the sprocket I56 is the chain I60 which travels over an intermediate sprocket I6! and an upper sprocket I62. The chain can be timed (both chains being timed as'one') by loosening the set screw I55b, shifting the chain and sprocket to a desired position, and retightening the set screw.

The upper sprocket I62 is fixed to a shaft I53 .iournaled in the frame extension FI (see Figure 6) I. v

'There is only one shaft I63, this extending across the machine and'servicing both units. At the end of shaft IE3 is a gear I64 which meshes with an intermediate gear I 65 and this in turn meshes with a gear I66 keyed to the cam shaft I35. The one cam shaft I35 extends across the machine and services both units.

Power from the motor is thus transmitted through the agencies mentioned to'the cams I20 and I21 for the purposes already described and to other moving parts as will presently appear.

The spacing and positioning mechanism 32 be-' cludes various associated mechanism from that point in the travel of the olives until the olives have been seized by the punches and dies in the central part of the machine. It consists pri marily of chutes I00, spacing means includingthe spacing fingers I and the gripping devices I93, the latter of which come into play near the lower ends of the chutes and cooperate to grip the olives and correctly hold them to be receivedv by the dies.

The chutes are mounted at their upper ends by means of attached bosses I00a mounted on a laterally extending bar I00b which has its ends seated in lugs I000 formed on the frame extension FI. This form of mounting enables the lower ends of the chutes I00 to be raised and lowered for adjusting purposes to accommodate olives of different sizes. The lower ends ofthe chutes are adjustably supported by means later described:-

The chutes each comprise a trough having vertical side walls I10 and a bottom I1I U-shaped in cross section near the upper end as in Figure 5 and feathering into a V-shaped cross section toward the lower end as in Figure 3.-' The width of the trough is slightly greater than the length of the largest'olives to be'pitted. The trough is slotted as at I12 for a distance upward from its lower end for a purpose later disclosed.

To one side of each chute is an angle iron guide bar I15 fastened to a bracket I16 on the frame F. This guide bar" furnishes a track support for the upper reach of the chain I60, the chain being aligned slightly to one side of the chute I00 and parallel thereto. The lower part of the angle iron guide bar I15 is supported upon a bracket I 16a which is bolted to the frame.

The lower portion of the chute I 00 is supported by means of a bracket extension I11 which is bolted to the frame F. The frame is provided with a slot I18 through which the bolt I19 passes to secure the bracket extension I 11, and is adjustable in the slot to afford a limited vertical adjustment of the chute.

Supported on the rod I32, which is located in the region of the metering mechanism, is a fluid supply device I80. This comprises a hose I8I, a valve I82 and nozzles I83. These nozzles are positioned to direct a jet or flow of fluid through slots I84 formed in the covers I 01 of the magazines. The fluid is primarily for the purpose of supplying brine or water to the chutes to facilitate the downward travel of the olives and also to hasten the alignment of the olives with their longitudinal axes crosswise of the chutes.

Secured to every third link in the chainis a spacer I 30, previously referred to (see Figure 9). Each spacer consists of a bracket I(see Figure 3) substituted for the chain link plate on one side of the chain to which bracket is screwed for lateral adjustment a member I9I bent at an angle, the end I92 extending into the chute I00 and adapted to travel freely therein-i Olives'descend in the chute, rolling and sliding behind the spacers I30. The olives seek ther most natural rolling position, and the concave bottom of the trough aids the olives to quickly assume such position, as illustrated in Figure 8. No matter what the position of each olive as it is released into the chute the configuration of the bottom of the trough, and the Water flow and the length of travel to the end of the chute result in the olive invariably assuming a position with its longitudinal axis transverse of the chute as it approaches the lower end thereof.

"I'Ihe angle of the spacerWSflsWith-respectxto the chute has been discoveredto bequiteimportant. It has been found that: an angleof1approximately 45 is most satisfactory. Inprevious machines with the angle at approximatley 90..the

center of gravity of the olive as it descendsiin the chuteput a preponderance of weight. against the spacer rather than the chute. With the more acute angle, as now described, the .center of gravity. is: shifted and changes the bulk ofi'fri'ction tothe chute rather than the spacers. Inasmuch as the chute with its particular configuration plays the major part in aligning the olive, shift in the center of gravity materially speeds=upthe alignment of the olive, and enables the present machine to be operated at a higher rate ofzspeed thaniwas possible in previous machines. Figure 4 diagrammatically illustrates the point under discussion.

We have found that a chute which :has a V: cross section its entire length will function toturnthe olives crosswise in the chute most "of the time, but that occasionally an lolive striking the-bottom of the chute squarely on one end will roll over end over end and fail to assume a crosswise position. To eliminate this-possibility the upper end of the chute has a U-shaped cross-section, as described. Olives rolling upon this form of chute will always topple one way or the other.- As this rounded, almost flat bottom sectionof the "chute merges intothe section with the more sharply inclined walls the olives, having toppled to' one. side or the other, eventually end their downward journey rolling barrel-like in the chute with theirv axe transverse thereof.

(The slot H2 is not wide enough to affect the movement-or position of the olive. It does permit, however, the narrowgripper- 183130 enter behind the olive and close in upon the same,'the olive being then gripped between the gripper 93 and spacer I351. The gripper and spacer travel together in this relationship almost to the position wherethe olive is seized-by the punch and die,- whereupon the spacer travels on-tangentia1ly and the gripper is retracted.

Upon leaving-the guide member I the chain I60 follows the contour of a drum 200 which is a part or the punch and die mechanism and issuppor'te'd thereby on'a peripheral'track 2M; having served its function the chain passes around sprocket -l 5% and returns over; sprocket "I 6 I 'to'the upper sprocket H32. I "'I'Thegrippers 193' are so intimately involved with the' die and punch mechanism that a de-, tailed'i description' of them mustfollow a partial description of'this latter mechanism.

Referring now especially to Figures-1', 11,..12 and"13," 'a main shaft 262 "is j-ournaled in end bear mgs not 'shown' which are carried by theirame F. This mainfshaft has affixed to j it the gear I54; andthe shaft is rotated'by'rotation ofthegear.

On thecenter of the shaft is keyed a. disc 205 navinga hubZUE and an o-uter'section consisting of abifu'rcated annular flange 201. The bifurcation's 'of the flange are spaced apart somewhat more than the length of anoliveand have regularly" spaced holes 208 and 2539 in a series concentric with the axis of the disc. The holes"2ll8 are ofa' diameter large enough to accommodate the passageof a punch and small enough to bar an olive. The holes 209 are large enough to accommodate adiethe outer diameter oi-whichis slightlygreaterthan the'diameter of an olive; These holes alternate in these'ries and thQSBIi-CS in'alternating are offset -'so-that"holes 268 in one fiangeiare concentric with. the holes. 209. in :the oppositefiange.

Except for the gear l54sand;theidisc. 2il5sthe die: and punch :unitsv onaeetchrsidgzare itwins and onlyzone will be.:described.

'v'supportedvwithin .the frame "F 'is: a icam barrel 210.. This". :cam' barrel remainsflstationary. 2 It provides three separate oams; IaIl internahgripper cam :21 I;..'an;externalv die cam 1212', and anexternal punchscam 2 l3.

' The gripper cam 12: comprises a camlracellfi of the irregular contour: illustrated formed upon the inner'face of. an annular flange 2l6 which is partoflthe cam barrel. The physical configurationor this race mayxbe seen 'in 'Figure. 11. "Its purpose. :is tonoperatevand control the grippers 'The'dmm ZDB isior-med-With an end 220 and a h-ubi22 l,.' the latter or which is keyedtoithe sh'aLft 202 bywhichit isrotated.

Disposed inthe end- 220 concentricwith the axisof the druni is a. series of regularly 'spa-ced bearing:-.:lugs 1225. These lugs have holes machined therein to afford bearing surfaces 226 for shafts 221 'ofthe grippers l93.

Eaoh gripper 1.93 "(see Figures-12 and 1'3) includes an extending member 193a formed witha pocket l 93h secured to. and arranged to be -given a partial rotation byTthe-shaft "2'21; At the er'id of 'the -'shaft: opposite the member 1930 is keyed a -cra'nki228 upon whichis aroller '22!) adapted to follow the gripper cam race 2'45. 9 A coil spring Rois-positioned upon-the outer-lend of the" shaft 22! to' urge the roller z2illtowa'rd the race of the cam'rac 215. a

T R'eferring baok tofFigur 1-1," it willbe seen that asthe drum 200 rotates carrying with'it the grippers- 193 the =rollers-on the cranks-of the grippers 'follow the camrace '2I5. The grippers are thus held in" a retramted 'inactiveposition untilrea'ching the slot H2 in the chute lflll'at which point I the *cam' race-recedes abruptly and permits' the spring' 230 tourge the gripper member 193 for-ward --ag'ainst an "olive which is following'one-bf'the spacers-130. The depression-in the cam extends'for 62 during-the travel of the roller over which the die ;-and punch have approached-to 'seize'the olive; as later' described. The cam race atthat point advances slightly'and opens the gripper to assure that it clears the die which hasmoved into-the region occupied by the gripper. "The cam-race is" furtheradvan'ced to movethe gripper back for clearance of the punch. The c'arn permits-this inactiveor retracted position ofthe gripper'tobe maintained tothe starti point'described; r

As an auxiliary feature ,inthe' operationiofj the grippers a -s'tationary' cooperating cam member Zill is s ecuredito the'inner face 'oflthe barrel 2! 0 and is'formed with a'cam'race 255i of irregular contour designed and positioned asip'articul'arly illustrated in' Ei'gure 12"to 'augment'the action of the springs 23!] "by positively and "abruptly forcing the rollers 229 iint 'engagement "with 'the :cam race 215" at the point' infihe" evolution of the traveljof :the grippers where they enter the 'slot H2: thusassuring a rapid" advancement'of the grippers: into the-proper position 'forengaging'the olives; I This feliminates any "possible tendency 'of the: gripper action atth'at point to be sluggish. and". to interfere with the "orderly "and: rapid handl o thejo ve The combin a; action" were smears and thegifippers 'lfl serves-to position the oliveswith their longitudinal axes in a=predeterniined-posi tion in the region of dies 249 and punches 2H for further operations, specifically in the illustration here, a pitting operation.

The operation of the machine is apparent from the preceding description and will be summarized briefly at this point. The operation is of course continuous. Olives placed in bulk in the receiving hopper are distributed through the discharge passage 48 by the assistance of the vibration of the hopper and traveling by gravity down the inclined floor 49 and the sharp drop 91 into the channels or passages of the vibrating tray. Packing of the olives at the restricted passage where the sharp incline 91 begins is prevented by action of the roller which it will be recalled is driven in a direction of rotation opposite to the travel of the olive. When the olives reach the metering device, olives in adjacent pairs of passages are alternately deposited in the positioning chutes. Climbing or packing of the olives in the region where they are approaching the spacing fingers of the metering device is prevented by the tapping members I31 which due to their rocker like configuration and relatively rapid tapping movement push back any olives which have a tendency to pile up.

The vibration of the hopper, the tray and the olive chutes of the metering device is important in facilitating the uninterrupted supply of olives to the metering device as well as the periodic release of olives from the latter.

While traveling down the inclined chutes after leaving the metering device the olives, which it is noted are now properly spaced for synchroa nous and successive delivery to the punching mechanism, are caused to assume a position with their individual axes parallel to the drums by the action which is imparted by the design on the bottom of the chutes assisted by the contact of the olives with the spacers I30. Rapid positioning of the olives is also assisted by the water flow which was described, and also by the design of the spacers I30 in relation to the olive chutes, the relative angle being such that the center of gravity of the olives is preponderant on the chutes rather than on the spacers. I 4

The rate of travel of the olives may be further increased if desired by providing auxiliary water jets as indicated in Figure 18 where water is shown being supplied under pressure through nozzles 310 at a point where the olives are released by the metering mechanism and travel from adjacent pairs of chutes or passages alternately to a single chute, the angle of the spray being such as to rapidly propel the olives to-. ward the single chute.

At the lower end of the chutes the grippers on the drum cooperate with the spacers to hold the olives and bring them into line with the punches and dies.

One of the very important features of the present invention is its adaptability to difierent sized olives. A few relatively minor adjustments can be made on the machine quickly and easily tofaccommodate whatever size olives comprises the next batch to be run through. It is not, of course, contemplated that this machine can practicallyoperate on a batch of olives of assorted sizes. It is, however, common practice in the handling and packing of all fruits, and especially of olives, to grade them into sizes of uniform dimensions before cooking, packing or curing them. In the case of olives, the longitudinal dimension is ignored, t Q h as a general l olives having the same transverse diameter will have the same length.

The necessary adjustments for handling olives of different sizes will be outlined starting at the input end of the machine.

Assuming in the previous description that olives of a given size have been handled and the next batch is to be larger olives, the roller 86 and associated parts must be shifted slightly away from the hopper to provide a larger passage. This is done by loosening screws I8, sliding the roller carriage along the slots and 8| and re-tightening the screws. The next adjustment is of the tip I I 60 on the retaining finger II6. This is done by loosening the nut I I8 rotating the part IIGc slightly to provide for a larger spacing between that member and the holding finger Ill, and retightening the nut. No adjustment of the size of the passages 42 is needed because these are already large enough to hold any size olives which will normally be put through the machine. It is, however, necessary in the present contingency to widen the olive passages 42a in the magazines which is done by applying a screw driver to screws III and turning in the proper direction to shift the outer parts of the covers ID! of the magazines.

The spacers I 30 require no adjustment relative to the chain on which they are mounted. They do require, however, to be slightly advanced so that when the spring operated grippers come into play to hold the olives against the spacers the longitudinal axis of the olives will be aligned with the axes of the punches and dies. The timing is done by loosening the set screw I55b, in gear I55, slightly rotating the sprocket I56 by hand to the desired point, and retightening the set screw I55b, see Figure 31.

It is also necessary in case of the larger olives to slightly lower the lower end of the inclined chute SI 90. This is accomplished by loosening the bolt or screw I19 and shifting the chute downwardly in the slot I7 8, then tightening the bolt. It will be recalled that the upper ends of the chutes are pivotally mounted on the cross bar limb to facilitate the adjustment last described.

We have devised a novel adjusting tool which is separately illustrated in Figure 15. It consists of a metal member 315 having the physical proportions of an olive and is provided with cylindrical nipples 316 at each end of the longitudinal axis thereof. A handle 311 attached to the body 315 at an angle facilitates the use of the device. We provide a series of these tools corresponding to the difierent grades or sizes of olives which are to be handled in the machine.

The tool is used in the manner illustrated in Figure 13. By grasping the handle of the tool, the simulated olive is placed in position between the spacer I30and the finger I93. The nipples 316 are held in alignment with the axes of; a

cooperating punch and die and while so. held;

the chutes are adjusted as described, and; the chain may be then turned .as described so that the combined action of the spacer and finger 1will hold the olive in the correctly aligned posiion.

Obviously if olives smaller than that contem plated in the principal description of this-invention is to comprise the next batch going through the'machine, the same parts which have been described as being readjusted for larger olives would have to be readjusted in the opposite dime-- tion or imannerfor the smaller olives. All parts whatever size fruit the machine is called upon to handle.

What we claim as our invention is:

1. In va fruit pitting machine, the combination of an inclined tray having a fruit passage therein of width sufiicient for only a single row of fruit, means to vibrate the said tray to cause the fruit to move downwardly through the said passage, a metering mechanism positioned and adapted to receive the fruit from the said passage and space it for subsequent travel, a tapping member adjacent the delivery end of the said fruit passage adapted to intermittently engage the fruit on its upper surface to prevent a piling up of the fruit entering into the metering mechanism, and means to reciprocate the said tapping member.

2. An apparatus as described in claim 1 in which the tapping member is formed with an extension having an upward fiare toward the receiving end of the tray.

3. An apparatus as described in claim 1 in which the tapping member is mounted on a rocker arm, and means to rock the said arm whereby a compound vertical and rotational reciprocation as imparted to the tapping member for pushing back and down into the vibrating tray any fruit which tends'to climb and simultaneously imparting a forward and downward thrust to the fruit adjacent the forward end of the tapping member. 4. In a fruit pitting machine, a vibrating tray for conveying fruit in single rows from a bulk supply, a metering mechanism adjacent the delivery end of the tray for receiving fruit from the vibrating tray and conveying it in individual spaced relationship for further treatment comprising a magazine having lower and upper parts, the lower part being formed by an extension on said vibrating tray having an inclination greater than the angle of inclination of the vibrating tray, the upper part being a stationary cooperating closure member positioned over the said tray extension and combining therewith to provide substantially closed fruit channels, the closure member being formed with slots in the upper face thereof, and cooperating retaining fingers and holding fingers positioned to extend through the said slots, means to alternately raise and lower the said retaining fingers and holding fingers whereby fruit entering the saidchannels is released individually and intermittently for further handling. 7

5. In a fruit pitting machine, a vibrating tray for conveying fruit in single rows from a bulk supply, a fruit spacing and positioning mechanism adjacent the delivery end of the tray for receiving fruit from the vibrating tray and conveying it in individual spaced relationship for further treatment comprising cooperating retaining fingers and holding fingers positioned to engage the fruit, means to alternately raise and lower the said retaining fingers and holding fingers whereby fruit engaged by them is released individually and intermittently for further handling, a tip adjustably mounted on the lower end of the retaining fingers to increase or decrease the effective length of the said fingers whereby more or less space is provided between the fruit engaging ends of the retainingfingers and the holding fingers for handling fruit of different s1zes.

6. An apparatus as described in claim in vvlsiicl l there are tappin members positioned -advance of the'retaining fingers "andholding' fingers to intermittently engage the fruit on its upper surface to prevent a piling up of the'fruit passing on towards the said fingers, and means to reciprocate the said tapping members.

7. In a fruit pitting machine, a vibrating tray for conveying fruit in single rows from a bulk supply a fruit spacing and positioningv mechanism adjacent the delivery end of the tray for receiving fruit from the vibrating tray and conveying it in individual spaced relationship for further treatment comprising cooperating retaining fingers and holding fingers positioned to engage the fruit, means to alternately 'r'aiseand lower the said retaining fingers and holding fingers whereby fruit engaged by them is released individually and intermittently for further h'andling, a tip adjustably mounted on the lower end of the retaining fingers to increase or decrease the efi'ective length of the said fingers whereby more or less space is provided between the fruit engaging ends of the retaining fingers and the holding fingers for handling fruit of different sizes, bosses on the retaining fingers and'on the holding fingers, tapping members mounted on said bosses and positioned in advance of the retaining and holding fingers to intermittently engage the fruit on its upper surface to prevent a piling up of the fruit passing on toward the said fingers, the said tapping members alternately reciprocating with the movements of the respective fingers on which they are mounted.'

8. In a fruit pitting machine for handling oblong fruit in which there is a metering mechanism, a spacing and positioning mechanism succeeding "the metering mechanism for spacing, conveying and positioning individual pieces of the oblong fruit delivered by the metering mechanism, the spacing and positioning mechanism comprising an inclined chute down which the fruit may roll, whereby the fruit in its downward progress will seek its natural rolling position so that the longitudinal axes of the fruit lie across the chute, a traveling member adapted to move in a path adjacent and parallel to the chute, spacing fingers carried by the traveling member and extending into the chute and being adapted to therein engage individual pieces of fruit to cooperate with the chute by retarding the progress of the fruit to increase the aligning action in a given distance of travel and to maintain the pieces of fruit in spaced position for subsequent handling, the spacing fingers while traveling through the chute occupying positions at an acute angle to the inclination of the chute to cause'th'e center of gravity of the fruit to lie closer to the chute than to the fingers whereby the aligning action is accelerated.

9. An apparatus as described in claim 8 in which there is a means to cause a flow of fiuid to be introduced into the upper end of the chute to accelerate the downward travel of the fruit toward the spacing fingers and the rapid alignment thereof with the longitudinal axes crosswise of the chute.

10. In a fruit pitting machine for handling oblong fruit in which there is a metering mechanism, a spacing and positioning mechanism succeeding the metering mechanism for spacing, conveying and positioning individual pieces of the oblong fruit delivered by the metering mechanism, the spacing and positioning mechanism comprising an inclined chute down which the fruit may roll, whereby the fruit in its downward progress will seek its natural rolling position so that the longitudinal axes of the fruit lie across the chute, a traveling member adaptedto move in a path adjacent and parallel to the chute, spacing fingers carried by the traveling member and extending into the chute and being for subsequent handling, means to cause a flow of fluid to be introduced into the upper end of the chutes to accelerate the downward travel of the fruit toward the spacing fingers and the rapid alignment thereof with the longitudinal axes crosswise of the chute.

11. In a machine for performing operations on oblong fruit in which the pieces of fruit must be positioned with their longitudinal axes lying in a common direction, an inclined chute down which the fruit may roll, whereby the fruit in its downward progress will seek its natural rolling position alongits true diameter so that the longitudinal axes of the fruit lie across the chute, spacing fingers extending into the chute, and means to cause the said fingers to travel through the chute, the fingers while traveling through the chute occupying positions at an acute angle to the inclination of the chute,

said fingers being adapted to engage individual pieces of fruit retarding the progress of same and causing the center of gravity of the fruit to lie closer to the chute than to the fingers whereby the aligning action is accelerated.

12. An apparatus as described in claim 11 in which there is means to cause a flow of fluid to be introduced into the upper end of the chute to accelerate the downward travel of the fruit toward the fingers and the rapid alignment thereof with the longitudinal axes crosswise of the chute.

13. In a machine of the character described, a fruit passage, a spacing mechanism comprising cooperating retaining fingers and holding fingers positioned, and adapted to alternately reciprocate to receive fruit from the passage and space it for subsequent travel, a tapping member positioned in advance of the spacing mechanism above the said fruit passage and adapted to intermittently engage the fruit on its upper surface to prevent a piling up of the fruit entering the spacing mechanism, and

means to reciprocate thesaid tapping member. 14. In a machine of the character described;

a fruit passage, means to convey fruit therethrough, a tapping member above said passage and positioned adjacent thereto adapted to intermittently engage fruit passing through said passage on its upper surface to prevent a piling up of the fruit, and means to reciprocate said tapping member, said tapping member being of such length and mounted so that it superimposes a plurality of pieces of fruit in said passage with a diminishing clearance toward the outgoing end.

15. In a machine of the character described, a fruit passage, means to convey fruit therethrough, a tapping member above said passage and positioned adjacent thereto adapted to intermittently engage fruit passing through said passage on its upper surface to prevent a piling up of the fruit, said tapping member being formed with an upward fiare extending opposite the direction of travel of the fruit, and means to reciprocate said tapping member, said upward flare being of a greater length than the fruit upon which it normally operates.

16. In a machine of the character described, a fruit passage, means to convey fruit therethrough, a tapping member above said passage and positioned adjacent thereto adapted to intermittently engage fruit passing through said passage on its upper surface to prevent a piling up of the fruit, said tapping member being mounted on a rocker arm and being of such length and mounted so that it superimposes a plurality of pieces of fruit in said passage with a diminishing clearance toward the outgoing end, and means to rock the said arm.

1'7. In a machine of the character described, a vibrating tray for conveying fruit from a bulk supply, a mechanism for further conveying the fruit in single rows comprising a magazine adjacent the delivery end of the vibrating tray, a chute extending from the magazine, said maga- Zine having lower and upper parts, the lower part being formed by an extension on said vibrating tray having an inclination greater than the angle of inclination of the vibrating tray, and the upper part being a stationary cooperating closure member having downwardly extending walls and positioned over the said tray extension and combining therewith to provide substantially closed fruit channels, the said closure member forming an extension of the said chute. 18. An apparatus as described in claim 1'? in which the closure member includes a slotted plate with spring characteristics, and means to reduce or increase the width of said slots whereby to adjust the effective width of the fruit channels in the magazine to pass fruit of different seizes.

EDWARD P. DRAKE.

FRED J. ALBER'I'Y. WILLIAM HERBERT KAGLEY. 

